Are you a UIC student with an idea about how to make the UIC campus more sustainable? If so, check out the Sustainability Fee. The Sustainability Fee Advisory Board (SFAB) is currently accepting student proposals for Fall 2014. The Sustainability Fee’s goal is to support proposals that help to establish a sustainable campus environment. Paid by all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, the Sustainability Fee is $3 per semester.

The Sustainability Fee funds small, short-term projects, helps to subsidize larger, long-term projects on campus, offers discounted Divvy memberships for students, and helps to fund student travel to sustainability-related conferences. Funding from this fee is administered by the Sustainability Fee Advisory Board (SFAB), which is comprised of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as faculty and staff.

Who can apply: All UIC students and student organizations are eligible to apply. If needed, the SFAB will help provide access to campus resources and personnel to approve projects. SFAB can also suggest other entities that may provide funding or other assistance.

Application process: Applicants are required to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) by September 19, 2014. The LOI allows the SFAB to pre-screen proposals for appropriateness and feasibility. Furthermore, the LOI should provide an approximate itemized project budget, including expected completion date and cost savings, if any. Projects that pass this stage will be invited to prepare a final proposal for consideration by the board. The Letter of Inquiry form can be found here: http://go.uic.edu/letterofinquiry. Following review of LOIs, the board will notify all applicants via email by the end of September if they have been selected to submit a full proposal. Full proposals must be submitted by Monday, November 17, 2014. Grantees will be notified by the end of the fall semester. For questions regarding previously funded projects, funding criteria, as well as rules and restrictions, please contact skonin2@uic.edu or visit the website: http://go.uic.edu/sustainabilityfee